I was wondering if there are any search engines that does rare Italian surnames. I have used ancestry.com and etc. with no luck on my searches. I am looking for Galtano and Domenicorosa Dicensi or Dicenso. They would have been born around 1835 give or take 5 to 10 years. That is based on the birthday of their child, which was 1855 in Aversa.
Amanda
Ancestor search engines
Re: Ancestor search engines
Didn't we go thru this recently?? Have you gone to the www.familysearch.org website this takes people with surnames back to the 15th and 16 century if there are records! Get moving. Peter
Re: Ancestor search engines
Yes I have, Peter. I wouldn't be asking if I hadn't. Unless you have some tricks up your sleeve, I have been unsuccessful. Obviously, there must be no reacords. I have searched everywhere short of writing, but I don't know the procedure of doing so; sending money, etc.
Re: Ancestor search engines
Have you gone to www.surname.org and www.familysearch.org and the internet by puttin g in the title rare italian names just like that and do the same with google. I am sorry but my computer is acting up and I cannot give you all the websites..Try correlating the rare name with literature. Peter
Re: Ancestor search engines
Hi Amanda,
Here's another possibility... But first, is it Aversa (in Caserta) or Anversa d'Aquila in Abruzzo? The only reason I ask is that I saw some references to DiCensi who came from Sulmona which is near Anversa d'Aquila.
Either way... The LDS (Mormon) church has microfilm of the civil registers for both Aversa and Anversa d'Aquila from the 1800's. If you have an LDS Family History Center near you, you can order these films for a reasonable fee. You should be able to find the marriage record for Galtano and Domenicarosa, which in turn will give you the names of their parents. Just keep in mind that in the Italian indices DiCenso will probably be indexed as Censo but appear in the records as DiCenso.
If you go to the library section of familysearch.org there is a page that lets you search out the nearest Family History Center based on your city, state or zipcode. You don't have to be LDS to use the FHC's and they are free.
Hope this helps.
Here's another possibility... But first, is it Aversa (in Caserta) or Anversa d'Aquila in Abruzzo? The only reason I ask is that I saw some references to DiCensi who came from Sulmona which is near Anversa d'Aquila.
Either way... The LDS (Mormon) church has microfilm of the civil registers for both Aversa and Anversa d'Aquila from the 1800's. If you have an LDS Family History Center near you, you can order these films for a reasonable fee. You should be able to find the marriage record for Galtano and Domenicarosa, which in turn will give you the names of their parents. Just keep in mind that in the Italian indices DiCenso will probably be indexed as Censo but appear in the records as DiCenso.
If you go to the library section of familysearch.org there is a page that lets you search out the nearest Family History Center based on your city, state or zipcode. You don't have to be LDS to use the FHC's and they are free.
Hope this helps.
Re: Ancestor search engines
It is Anversa, typos matter huh 
. Thanks for the info.
Amanda
. Thanks for the info.Amanda
Re: Ancestor search engines
Familysearch.org is divided into the search section and the library section. Plugging a surname into the search function in either section will not bring up any relevant civil registers. Not everyone who uses familysearch knows that the civil registers are available, and unless they go directly to the library catalog section and search the name of their town, they may never find out.
If this was something that Amanda already knew, then she is no farther back than when she posted the inquiry. If she didn't, it may help.
If this was something that Amanda already knew, then she is no farther back than when she posted the inquiry. If she didn't, it may help.
Re: Ancestor search engines
Couple of thoughts.....
The surname Di Censo is associated with the town of Aversa in Casserta.
Spelling counts so look at all possibilities. We all spell incorrectly from time to time, type incorrectly, copy incorrectly, etc. Best to cover all bases.
The LDS is good for its records.....at their library branches on microfilms you can rent. The IGI might give you a clue, but many, many are inacurrate. They are the result of people entering personal info...so often the name you seek is not there...because it depends on a person related to enter the info. These are NOT RECORDS. There are someone's genealogical research and a lot are wrong...many people associated someone with the wrong individual with the same name...bear that in mind. Good clues, but you must determine the validity yourself.
Italian records are on Microfilm at the Family History LIbrary. But they cannot be accessed on your computer at home. Italy has not put their records on the Internet. That is why research in Italy is harder then American records or British records...many of which are now on the Internet. Some Italian records can only be accessed by writing to the commune so remember this as well.
By the way, Galtano is probably the name Gaetano. And Domenicorose is probably Domenica Rose. That name may not be truncated as others like Michele Angelo....Michelanglo. This you will learn when you get copies of the records.
Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to finding the Italian records. You just have to dig.
The surname Di Censo is associated with the town of Aversa in Casserta.
Spelling counts so look at all possibilities. We all spell incorrectly from time to time, type incorrectly, copy incorrectly, etc. Best to cover all bases.
The LDS is good for its records.....at their library branches on microfilms you can rent. The IGI might give you a clue, but many, many are inacurrate. They are the result of people entering personal info...so often the name you seek is not there...because it depends on a person related to enter the info. These are NOT RECORDS. There are someone's genealogical research and a lot are wrong...many people associated someone with the wrong individual with the same name...bear that in mind. Good clues, but you must determine the validity yourself.
Italian records are on Microfilm at the Family History LIbrary. But they cannot be accessed on your computer at home. Italy has not put their records on the Internet. That is why research in Italy is harder then American records or British records...many of which are now on the Internet. Some Italian records can only be accessed by writing to the commune so remember this as well.
By the way, Galtano is probably the name Gaetano. And Domenicorose is probably Domenica Rose. That name may not be truncated as others like Michele Angelo....Michelanglo. This you will learn when you get copies of the records.
Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to finding the Italian records. You just have to dig.
Re: Ancestor search engines
Amanda.......
Antonio appears to have arrived in the US in 1903......
Caroline and the children in 1909/1910 depending on what census you read...1920 or 1930.
I think based upon the birth of Joseph, it could well have been 1909. IN the 1930 census, Antonio is 70 years of age, Caroline, 53, Joseph 19, Domenic 18, Augustus 16, Bernice 13, Peter 11, Laura 9. Guy was listed in his own household, age 29. Antonio married at age 38, and Caroline at 21.
Both Antonio and his wife are listed as Aliens in 1930. But Guy is listed as naturalized. His naturalization paperwork should contain the town of origin for you. I believe there is a record for 1903 of an Antonio Dicenso...but indicated he was going to another town so not sure if this was him. He should be about 43 in 1903. I also think the likelyhood of Caroline and the children coming in to the port of Boston is likely....Maine is much closer to that point and all the children from Joseph on, were born in Maine.
You can e-mail the Waltham NARA and ask for them to check the passenger records. They might be listed under Caroline's maiden name and this could be a problem if you are not sure of what it should be. However, the children should be listed under the name of the father so there should be a Gaetano and Maria Di Censo arriving in 1909/1910 both under the age of 10. They might be able to find the record that way.
Go to www.NARA.gov and look for info on Waltham branch that covers Boston and New England records.
After seeing some of the Di Censos listed at Ellis Island, I would have to agree with Suanj about the town in Aquilla...many listed Aversa, Aquilla there and as she stated, the name is now Anversa.......but Guy's naturalization and declaration of intent should answer that question.
Good luck.......
Antonio appears to have arrived in the US in 1903......
Caroline and the children in 1909/1910 depending on what census you read...1920 or 1930.
I think based upon the birth of Joseph, it could well have been 1909. IN the 1930 census, Antonio is 70 years of age, Caroline, 53, Joseph 19, Domenic 18, Augustus 16, Bernice 13, Peter 11, Laura 9. Guy was listed in his own household, age 29. Antonio married at age 38, and Caroline at 21.
Both Antonio and his wife are listed as Aliens in 1930. But Guy is listed as naturalized. His naturalization paperwork should contain the town of origin for you. I believe there is a record for 1903 of an Antonio Dicenso...but indicated he was going to another town so not sure if this was him. He should be about 43 in 1903. I also think the likelyhood of Caroline and the children coming in to the port of Boston is likely....Maine is much closer to that point and all the children from Joseph on, were born in Maine.
You can e-mail the Waltham NARA and ask for them to check the passenger records. They might be listed under Caroline's maiden name and this could be a problem if you are not sure of what it should be. However, the children should be listed under the name of the father so there should be a Gaetano and Maria Di Censo arriving in 1909/1910 both under the age of 10. They might be able to find the record that way.
Go to www.NARA.gov and look for info on Waltham branch that covers Boston and New England records.
After seeing some of the Di Censos listed at Ellis Island, I would have to agree with Suanj about the town in Aquilla...many listed Aversa, Aquilla there and as she stated, the name is now Anversa.......but Guy's naturalization and declaration of intent should answer that question.
Good luck.......
Re: Ancestor search engines
Thank you very much for that info. It helps alot. I plan to visit the Family History Center in a few days. I will keep you posted.
Amanda
Amanda
